Ditch and sewer digger.



Patented Jan. 30, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l- WITNESSES A TTORIVEYS Wm $46M.

C. BAUER.

DITCH AND SEWER DIGGER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 16. I914.

Patented Jan. 30, 1917.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2- A Tram/Em C. BAUER.

DITCH AND SEWER BIGGER. APPLICATION men SEPT. 16} 1914.

1 ,21 4,41 0 Patented J an. 30, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- F29.

WITNESSES E oR www Cur/rave; fifl UE/i A TTOR/VE Y8 llhllTEE %TATE%PATENT CLARENCE BAUER, F ZANESVILLE, OHIO.

DITCH AND SEVTER BIGGER.

Lzllsh llll.

Application filed September 16, 1914.

'1 '0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Cnnnnncn BAUER, aeitiz'en of the United States,residing at Zanesville, in the county of Muskingum and State of Ohio,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ditch and SewerDiggers, of which the following is a specification.

T his invention relates to excavating chines, and more particularly toan proved ditch or sewer digger.

One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide a sewerdigger having an improved adjustable elevator and operating mechanismtherefor.

Another object is to provide a digger of the class specified having anadjustable elevator and a conveyor and means for transferring earth fromthe elevator to the con- Veyer irrespective of the adjusted position inwhich the elevator may be.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved digger ofthe class described having a chain and bucket elevator capable ofoscillatory and sliding adj ustment.

Still another object is to provide an excavator having a diggerincorporating an adjustable elevator and a conveyer, and means fordriving them simultaneously.

in additional object is to provide an improved digger which will becomparatively simple, durable, efficient in operation and inexpensive tomanufacture.

With these and other objects in view which will become apparent as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the construction,combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter more fully describedand claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which likecharacters in I 1 Ill of reference indicate like parts throughout theseveral figures, of which.

Figure 1 represents a side elevational view of a ditch or sewer diggerconstructed according to my invention. Fig. 2 represents a top plan viewthereof. Fig. 3 represents an enlarged vertical central longitudinalsectional View taken theii'ethrough. Fig. l represents a horizontalsectional view taken on the line 4-l of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 represents ahorizontal sectional view taken on the plane indicated by the line 5-5of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 represents a detail sectional view takenlongitudinally through the cutting Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 30, 1917..

Serial No. 862,006.

disks and mountings therefor, and Fig. 7 represents an end elevationalView, partly in section of the elevator operating device. Referring moreparticularly to the drawings, the main framework comprises side bars 5,front forwardly inclined upwardly converging uprights ('3, rearforwardly inclined upwardly converging corner uprights 7, and top sidebars 8. The lower side bars connect the corner uprights at their lowerends while the upper side bars 8 connect them at their upper ends andextend slightly to the front and rear, of the framework. Braces 9 areprovided and connect the rear ends of bars 8 with the rear corneruprights or posts 7. At the forward portions of the sides of the frametriangular boards or plates 10 are provided which serve to brace theframe. he lower ends of the corner posts 6 and of the corner posts 7 areconnected by transversely disposed boards or plates 11 and 12,respectively.

A transversely disposed beam 13 is carried by side bars 5 near the rearof the framework; and housings l-l are pivotally positioned beneath thiscross beam near the ends thereof. In these housings the guide wheels 15are journaled. The housings ar provided withforwardly extending arms 16connected by a reach rod 17. Pivoted on one end of cross beam 13 is abell crank lever 18, one arm of which is pivotally connected at 19 tothe reach rod, and the other arm is pivotally connected at 20 to a link21. lhe opposite end of this link is pivoted to a hand lever 22 midwayits length, said lever at its lower end being pivoted to one of the sidebars of the frame. By moving the hand lever 22 forwardly or rearwardlythe guide wheels may be swung simultaneously at various anglesrelatively to the frame for guiding the machine.

Forward ground wheels 23 are secured on the front axle 2 1 journaledbeneath the framework. The axle is provided with a cog wheel meshingwith a pinion 26 carried on a counter shaft 27 journaled above the sidebars 5 transversely of the framework. A sprocket wheel 28- on shaft 27carries one end of an endless chain 29, the opposite end of which iscarried by sprocket wheel 30 carried by counter shaft 31 which isjournaled below the adjusting frame guide 32. Frame guide 32 extendslongitudinally of the main framework above the lower side bars 5. Asprocket wheel. 33 carried at one end of counter shaft 31 is connectedby an endless driving chain Set with an engine 35. The latter may be ofany suitable type and is disposed on a platform 36 projecting laterallyfrom and carried by the adjusting frame guide 32. By the method justdescribed the digger may be propelled under its own power.

A pivot rod 37 is carried transversely of the frame at the forward endthereof, and is journaled in brackets 38 secured to the corner posts 6near the upper ends thereof.

This pivot rod is free to turn in the brackets and carries spacedsleeves 39 disposed transversely of the pivot rod. In these sleeves areslidably carried side bars 4L0 of the elevator frame. The latter iscapable of oscillatory movement upon the rod 37 as a pivot, and iscapable of sliding movement longitudt nally of the main framework of thedigger, and relatively to the pivot rod. The rods it) are braced:uljacent their ends by cross bars 1-1.

At the upper end of the elevator frame, a spool or drum. 4112 ispositioned, and at the lower end thereof, a hollow shaft 1-3 is rotatably journaled. Shaft 18 is carried transversely of the framework inbearings provided at the lower ends of the bars 40, and sprocket wheels4+1; are fixed on shaf between side. bars 40 and in spaced relation toeach other. The conveyor includes endless chains running over the spool1-2 and the sprockets 4%. These chains are connected by transverselydisposed buckets 46 having toothed cutting edges 1-7.

A pair of supporting arms 18 are carried upon the forward ends of sidebars 8, and project over the same, said arms having pin and slotadjustable connections 49 with said side bars. They are braced by meansof a cross bar 50. A driving shaft 51 is journaled transversely of theframe work in brackets carried by the supporting arms as, and on saiddriving shaft is fixed a driving drum 52 carrying at its ends sprocket wreels 53. Over the driving drum run the chains 45, each of the chainsmeshing with one of the sprocket wheels 58. Shaft 51 is extended at oneend and carries a sprocket 54 over which a driving chain 55 is adaptedto run. The chain is driven by means of a sprocket 56 which is carriedby a stub shaft 5'? journaled in a block 58. Said stub shaft carries asecond sprocket which is driven by means of a chain 59 from'the engineIn this manner power is transmitted from the engine to the driving drum52, whereby the conveyor is made to travel around the conveyer frame.

The adjustment of the conveyor frame is secured through the co-action ofthe adjusting frame indicated generally by the numeral 60 and the cables61. The adjusting frame is operable as will be hereinafter described inorder to shift the lower end of the elevator toward or away from themain framework, and the cables are employed for shifting the elevatorframe longitudinally through its bearing sleeves 39 in order to raise orlower said fra ie. The cables 61 at their outer ends are connected at 62to rods 4E0 near the front ends thereof, and are passed over pulleys 63hungto supporting arms 18 and at their lower ends are wound upon awindlass in the form of a shaft 61 journaled in brackets near the lowerends of the front corner posts 6. The shaft 6 1i". 'is provided with acrank handle 65 carrying a ratchet wheel 66 adapted to co-act with adetent or dog 67 in preventing accidental unwinding of the cables fromshaft 6 1.

The adjusting frame comprises side bars 68 carrying eyes 69 which arepivotally connected to the bars 60 at their forward ends,

and through which the rods 4-0 of the elevator frame slidably extend.The adjusting frame is disposed horizontally, and is adapted to slidelongitudinally of the main frame work of the machine, through the adjusting frame guide 32. This guide comprises a floor 70 secured upon thetransverse plates 11 and 12, and disposed between the sides of the mainframework, said floor provided along its edges with overhanging flanges71. The side bars 68 of the adjusting frame are connected at their rearends by a cross bar 72 and intermediate their ends by a crossbar 73.These bars serve not only as braces for the adjusting frame,

but also as anchors for the ends of cables 7 4t disposed between therods 68 and spaced in parallel relation to them and to each other, andlooped once about a spool 7 5 carried on a shaft 76 journaledtransversely above frame guide 32, centrally thereof. A crank handle 77situated on one end of shaft 76' tion or the other, the lower end of theelevator frame will bedrawn toward or shifted away from the mainframework of the machine, and at the same time the cables 61 may beoperated for raising or lowering the elevator frame. The adjusting frameserves also to brace the elevator when the latter is working.

The conveyer is disposed longitudinally of the frame centrally thereof,and above the adjusting frame and guide. Said conveyer comprises a framework including side bars 79, drums 80 and 81 rotatably supported betweenthe side bars at the front and rear ends thereof respectively, a chainand bucket conveyer 82, and the floor 83. The bars 79 at their forwardends are pivoted upon the stub shaft 57 which is driven from the engineby means of the chain 59, already described. The front drum or spool 80is keyed on shaft 57, and carries sprocket wheels over which theconveyer chains run, so that as said shaft 57 is driven the conveyer isrotated about the conveyor frame. Bars 79 are partially supported by across rod Sl upon which they rest, and which is secured to the rearuprights 7. Floor 83 terminates adjacent spools SO and S1 and issupported on brackets 85 carried by cross bars 86 connecting side bars79 of the conveyer frame. The edges oflioor 835 are turned upwardly toprovide side flanges 87, between which the conveyer buckets slide.

By reason of the gearing arrangement used both the elevator and conveyerare driven simultaneously and in the same direction, that is from leftto right or from the forward toward the rear end of the machine. Theelevator removes the earth in forming a trench or sewer, and theconveyer is adapted to receive the earth and deposit the same into thetrench behind the machine, as the sewer tiles are placed in position, ormay convey the earth to wagons or other vehicles as desired. In order toinsure the proper delivery of the earth from the elevator to theconveyer a hopper 88 is provided. This hopper is disposed above theforward end of floor 83 and is secured between the top side bars 8 ofthe main frame and includes sloping sides 89, and an inclined rear wall90 which terminates at its lower end above the lower edges of the sides89. The latter extend downwardly and terminate adjacent floor 83 so thatas the earth is dumped from the elevator buckets 46 it will be guideddirectly onto the floor 83 in position to be engaged and carried to therear of the machine by the conveyer buckets. The hopper is of such alength that earth will be dumped into the same from the elevator, fromany position within the range of adjustment of the latter.

At the forward end of the elevator the cutting disks are carried. Thesecomprise an inner and outer pair of disks 91 and 92 respectively. Disks91 are keyed upon the hollow shaft 43, outside of the elevator frameworkand in close proximity thereto, and the disks 92 are carried on the stubshafts 93. The latter extend one into each end of the axle shaft t3 andare provided with a series of spaced openings 9st adapted to receive thepins 95. The latter extend through openings in the shaft 43, and may beremoved to allow adjustment of the outer disks 92 relative to disks 91,as indicated in Figs. 2 and 6. By reason of the pin connection betweenshaft 43 and the stub shafts 93, the disks 92 are driven as shaft 43rotates.

. The tension of the elevator chains, and of the conveyer chains isadjusted by similar mechanism and it will therefore only be necessary todescribe the adjusting mechanism for the elevator. Thiscomprises'sleeves 96 which are slidably positioned upon the upper endsof bars to of the elevator, and which carry a shaft 97 on which drumispositioned. The upper ends of bars 4-.0 are threaded, and a nut 98 isturned on each threaded end. The nuts 98 serve as stops for the sleeves96. The weight of the elevator chains and buckets maintain the sleevesin constant contact with the nuts tending to slacken the tension of thechains and by adjusting these nuts the tension of the chains may bevaried and maintained at the proper degree.

in order that the ground wheels 23 may be thrown into gear with theengine only when desired, a clutch mechanism 99 indicated in dottedlines in Fig. e is provided. This clutch serves to throw the shaft liinto or out of gear with sprocket 32 when desired. A. platform 100 issecured upon the rear ends of upper side bars 8, and while serving as abrace for the main framework also provides for the accommodation of theworkmen while repairing or operating the machine.

The machine is especially adapted for the digging of trenches or sewers,and during this operation the cutting disks 91 and 92 are utilized forcutting the earth and loosening the same from the sides of the trench,to be engaged and removed by the elevator buckets. The machine may beused to equal advantage in removing material from clay or sand banks,and it will be noted that in this case the conveyer will be particularlyuseful in depositing the earth into wagons or other vehicles. Ifdesirable the digger may be placed on a boat or barge, and used as adredge.

Although I have described the preferred embodiment of my invention, Imay desire to make such changes in the construction, combination andarrangement of parts thereof as do not depart from the spirit of theinvention and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim 1. In an excavating machine, a main framework, said frameworkcomprising front and rear forwardly inclined and upwardly convergingcorner posts, lower side bars connecting front and rear corner posts,upper side bars connecting the front and rear corner posts, an elevatormechanism disposed between the upper side bars, a conveyer mechanismdisposed longitudinally of the framework, a cross bar carried by therear corner posts and partially supporting said conveyor mechanism,supporting arms carried by the top side bars and supporting the elevatormechanism, an adjusting mechanism for the elevator mechanism, and meanson the framework for supporting the adjusting mechanism.

2. A device of the class described comprising a main frame, a pivot rodjournaled thereon, spaced sleeves secured transversely on said rod,spaced parallel bars slidably positioned in said sleeves, bracesconnecting said bars near their opposite ends, a shaft journaledtransversely of said bars at one end thereof, sprocket wheels carried bysaid shaft, a drum rotatably positioned transversely of the bars attheir opposite ends, endless chains carried by said sprocket wheels anddrum, elevator buckets connecting the chains, a driving shaft supportedby the frame, a drum secured on said shaft, sprocket wheels on saiddrum, said endless chains meshing with said sprocket wheels, means fordriving said drum, means for shifting said rods longitudinally of thesleeves at will, and means 'for oscillating said rods with the pivot redas a center.

3. A digging machine including a main frame, a pivot rod journaledthereon, spaced sleeves secured transversely on the rod, an elevatorincluding a frame having side bars slidably extending through thesleeves, an adjusting frame carried on the main frame, eyes pivotallymounted on the adjusting frame, through which eyes the side bars of theelevator frame slidably extend, means for ad usting the elevator framelongitudinally, and means for actuating the adjusting frame.

l. In an excavating machineyan elevator including an endless carrier, ahollow shaft driven from the carrier, cutting disks mounted on thehollow shaft, stub shafts arranged in the hollow shaft, disks carried bythe stub shafts, and means for adjusting the stub shafts relatively tothe hollow shaft.

5. In an excavating machine of the class described, an. elevator, saidelevator including endless chains, a hollow shaft, sprocket wheels onsaid hollow shaft, said sprocket wheels meshing with said chains, diskscarried by said hollow shaft, stub shafts adapted to be disposed in theopposite ends of said hollow shaft, disks carried by said stub shaftsand adjustable connecting means be tween said stub shafts and hollowshafts for varying the distance between the disks.

(3. A digging machine including a main frame, a pivot rod ournaledthereon, spaced sleeves secured transversely on the rod, an elevatorincluding a frame having side bars slidably extending through thesleeves, an adjusting means carried on the main frame, elementsaffording a pivotal and slidable connection between the adjusting meansand the said frame, means for actuating the adjusting means, and meansfor adjusting the elevator frame long1tud1nally.

CLARENCE BAUER. Witnesses CALDWELL H. BROWN, FRIEDA SOHEFFLER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington. I). G.

